1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an automated materials transportation system installed in a building having a track connecting many stations and having a plurality of cars moving in the track system from station to station and capable of horizontal and vertical travel. For example, a hospital, bank, industrial or office building may have automated movement of cars between stations at various locations on any floor and on different building floors.
Further, and more specifically, the invention relates to track, car and car-supported container construction for automated self-propelled economical and efficient movement of materials or loads in a conveyor or distribution system which involves horizontal and vertical travel of container-carrying cars on a track system that services multiple stations to move loads in the containers automatically between selected stations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior self-propelled car transportation sytems have been used, such as shown in Glastra application Ser. No. 244,265, filed Apr. 14, 1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,970 to accomplish the general objectives of the described apparatus. However, many difficulties have been encountered and drawbacks discovered concerning the construction, assembly, operation and use of the tracks and car structures shown in said application Ser. No. 244,265.
Thus, the tubular track rails with interconnecting, spaced clips of such prior track structures are difficult to mount and support with the required track rigidity necessary for efficiently carrying loaded, rapidly-moving cars.
Further, the aperatured or grooved drive or guide wheels which engage or clear projecting drive pins on the track in the prior construction result in undesirable load-carrying or car drive characteristics for car drive and travel.
In addition, the rack pin drive projections and complementary slotted drive wheel arrangement in the prior construction are undesirable from many standpoints.
Also, the car movement control brush mounting on the car for contact with control strips in the prior construction, does not provide uniform contacting characteristics under all operating conditions.
Furthermore, the load carrying container in the prior construction does not allow container orientation in a horizontal or level position when the car is traveling in a vertical portion of the track system, and this is undesirable.
In addition, the prior construction does not have an adequate means for detecting an obstruction along the track system to prevent car or container or container contents damage.
Also, the prior system of Ser. No. 244,265 illustrates that the disclosed drive means inherently involves a shifting in the geometry of the location of the load or weight carried by the car and the relative location of track rails, etc., which changes the driving force geometry between the car and track as the car moves around bends. These characteristics are undesirable.
Accordingly, there is a need for easily-maintained equipment for automated, self-propelled car-track transportation systems that avoids the described difficulties and drawbacks, and permits conveying or distributing objects, materials or loads between stations in such systems effectively, efficiently, simply, economically and reliably; while retaining the desirable features, functions and characteristics of prior art systems and equipment.